Kingsville businesses hope premier will give go-ahead for Stage 3 reopening today

Kingsville gym owner Tony Smith hopes the premier will approve Windsor-Essex for Stage 3 Tuesday.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford is expected to announce whether Windsor-Essex will join the rest of the province in Stage 3 of reopening, after the region was held back last week due to its high COVID-19 case count.

"I'm very much hoping to hear that we're moving into Stage 3," said Smith who runs Garage Gym. "It's been very frustrating to watch other businesses thrive while we sit here closed."

High caseloads in the agri-farm industry meant Leamington and Kingsville were the last two regions in the province to enter Stage 2 on July 7 and now, they don't want to be left behind again.

Among many things, Stage 3 would mean that gyms can open and restaurants can allow patrons to dine inside their facilities, rather than just on a patio.

But not all business owners are ready for what Stage 3 entails.

Heather Brown, co-owner of The Main Grill and Ale House in Kingsville, said that while she wants to see other companies open, she's not so sure her restaurant will be offering indoor dining anytime soon.

"I'd really have to wrap my mind around having people inside," she said, adding that she understands how essential this step would be for businesses without patios.

While Brown said she knows the case count is still high in the region, she thinks places that have been closed since March deserve the opportunity to start up again -- as long as it's done safely.

"I'm hoping that we do move into Stage 3 so it can help businesses that are unable to open, my only concern is it's done in a safe way."

Should the region be approved for Stage 3, Smith said he's already ready, with plenty of new safety measures in place such as increased sanitization, removal of water fountains and foam rollers and personalized sanitizer for each member.

"Having 10 people in my 5,000 square feet, I think it's safer than stuffing people on a patio downtown," he said, adding that the longer this drags on, the harder it's become to keep his members.

"I think at a certain point we need to start living our lives again and I'm not saying not to practice some good safe measures, I think we need to evaluate whether we're either...all open or we're not."